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Best rice cookers
The best rice cookers make a useful addition to your kitchen if you find you can't cook rice the way you'd like it on the hob.
We've tested rice cookers from Argos, Asda, Russell Hobbs, Tefal, Yum Asia and more – to find out how much you have to spend to get perfect rice.
We discovered that not all rice cookers are the same. Although some give you perfectly fluffy and delicious rice, others will undercook it or leave your rice dry and stuck together. We've found three rice cookers that excel above others so we've given these are Best Buy recommendation.
The best rice cookers from our tests
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| Rice cooker | Basmati rice quality | Wholegrain rice quality | Heat and steam control | Capacity | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | |||
| Good | Excellent | Excellent | |||
| Good | Excellent | Excellent | |||
| Average | Good | Excellent | |||
| Excellent | Good | Good | |||
| Average | Good | Good | |||
| Average | Good | Excellent |
Date tested: October 2022 & November 2020. Page last checked: July 2024. We are not able to show every retailer and cheaper prices may be available.
The rice cookers we tested
All the rice cookers we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the best rice cookers from our tests.
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Argos Cookworks 1.5L Rice Cooker
Available from Argos (£16.50)
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Most recently tested November 2020
Size and weight 26 x 34 x 26cm (H x W x D); 1.95kg
Capacity Maximum 1,500ml/8 cups of rice; minimum 360ml/2 cups of rice
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Need to know Comes with plastic serving spoon, 160ml measuring cup and non-stick cooking pot; not dishwasher-safe; fill lines are labelled; one-year guarantee
Asda George Home Rice Cooker
Available from Asda (£24)
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Most recently tested November 2020
Size and weight 22.5 x 27 x 24cm (H x W x D); 2.13kg
Capacity Maximum 1,000ml/6 cups of rice; minimum 360ml/2 cups of rice
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Need to know Comes with plastic serving spoon, 180ml measuring cup and non-stick cooking pot; dishwasher-safe cooking pot; fill lines are labelled; two-year guarantee
Breville ITP181 1.8L Rice Cooker and Steamer
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Most recently tested November 2020
Size and weight 25.4 x 29.6 x 29.4cm (H x W x D); 3.2kg
Capacity Maximum 1,800ml/10 cups of rice; minimum 360ml/2 cups of rice
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Need to know Comes with plastic serving spoon, 180ml measuring cup, steaming tray and non-stick cooking pot; can be used to steam meat and vegetables; dishwasher-safe cooking pot and lid; fill lines are labelled; one-year guarantee
Crockpot 2.2L Sauté Rice Cooker
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Most recently tested November 2020
Size and weight 24.8 x 31.2 x 30.8cm (H x W x D); 3.18kg
Capacity Maximum 2,200ml/12 cups of rice; minimum 360ml/2 cups of rice
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Need to know Comes with plastic serving spoon, 180ml measuring cup and non-stick cooking pot; can be used as a pan/sauté pan to cook other items (although you can't change the temperature); dishwasher-safe cooking pot and serving spoon; maximum fill lines present but not labelled; two-year guarantee
Judge JEA63 Mini Rice Cooker
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Most recently tested October 2022
Size and weight 20 x 17 x 17cm (H x W x D); 1.3kg
Capacity Maximum 300ml/1.5 cups of rice; minimum 90ml/0.5 cups of rice
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Need to know Comes with plastic serving spoon, 160ml measuring cup and non-stick cooking pot; not dishwasher-safe; fill lines are labelled; two-year guarantee
Kitchen Perfected E3312
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Most recently tested October 2022
Size and weight 27 x 25.5 x 25.5cm (H x W x D); 2.65kg
Capacity Maximum 1,800ml/10 cups of rice; minimum 720ml/4 cups of rice
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Need to know Comes with plastic serving spoon, 160ml measuring cup and non-stick cooking pot; not dishwasher-safe; fill lines are labelled
Lakeland 2 Portion Mini Electric Rice Cooker
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Most recently tested November 2020
Size and weight 19 x 16.5 x 14.5cm (H x W x D); 1.2kg
Capacity Maximum 500ml/approximately 2.66 cups of rice; minimum capacity not stated
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Need to know Comes with plastic serving spoon, 135ml measuring cup and non-stick cooking pot; can be used to cook porridge; delay-start timer of up to 12 hours; not dishwasher-safe; fill lines are labelled; three-year guarantee
Compare our picks of the best non-stick frying pans and the best saucepans and saucepan sets.
Quest 35550 Rice Cooker
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Most recently tested October 2022
Size and weight 24 x 28 x 28cm (H x W x D); 2.5kg
Capacity Maximum 1,800ml/10 cups of rice; minimum 600ml/3.5 cups of rice
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Need to know Comes with plastic serving spoon, 160ml measuring cup and non-stick cooking pot; not dishwasher-safe; fill lines are labelled; two-year guarantee
Russell Hobbs Rice Cooker and Steamer 19750
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Most recently tested November 2020
Size and weight 24.5 x 28 x 32cm (H x W x D); 2.56kg
Capacity Maximum 1,800ml/10 cups of rice; minimum capacity not stated
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Need to know Comes with plastic serving spoon, 160ml measuring cup, steamer tray and non-stick cooking pot; can be used to steam meat and vegetables; not dishwasher-safe; fill lines are labelled; two-year guarantee
Russell Hobbs 27030 Medium Rice Cooker
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Most recently tested October 2022
Size and weight 18 x 27.5 x 23cm (H x W x D); 1.44kg
Capacity Maximum 1,000ml/3 cups of rice; minimum 400ml/1 cup of rice
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Need to know Comes with plastic serving spoon, 160ml measuring cup, steaming tray and non-stick cooking pot; not dishwasher-safe; fill lines are labelled; steams food; two-year guarantee
SQ Professional Lustro Rice Cooker
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Most recently tested October 2022
Size and weight 22 x 25 x 22cm (H x W x D); 1.43kg
Capacity Maximum 800ml/4 cups of rice; minimum 180ml/1 cup of rice
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Need to know Comes with plastic serving spoon, 120ml measuring cup and non-stick cooking pot; not dishwasher-safe; fill lines are labelled; one-year guarantee
Tefal Cool Touch RK1568UK Rice Cooker
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Most recently tested November 2020
Size and weight 23.5 x 31 x 31.5cm (H x W x D); 2.4kg
Capacity Maximum 1,800ml/10 cups of rice; minimum 720ml/4 cups of rice
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Need to know Comes with plastic serving spoon, 160ml measuring cup, steamer tray and non-stick cooking pot; can be used to steam meat and vegetables; not dishwasher-safe; fill lines are labelled; two-year guarantee
VonShef 0.3L Personal Rice Cooker 13/342
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Most recently tested November 2020
Size and weight 25.8 x 18 x 18cm (H x W x D); 1.53kg
Capacity Maximum 270ml/1.5 cups of rice; minimum 90ml/0.5 cups of rice
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Need to know Comes with plastic serving spoon, 135ml measuring cup and non-stick cooking pot; not dishwasher-safe; fill lines are labelled; two-year guarantee
Yum Asia Panda Mini Advanced Fuzzy Logic Ceramic Rice Cooker
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Most recently tested October 2022
Size and weight 30 x 22.5 x 21cm (H x W x D); 2.36kg
Capacity Maximum 600ml/3.5 cups of rice; minimum 90ml/0.5 cups of rice
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Need to know Comes with plastic serving spoon, soup ladle, 160ml measuring cup, steaming tray and non-stick cooking pot; not dishwasher-safe; fill lines are labelled; cooks porridge, cake, slow-cooks and steams food; two-year guarantee.
How we test rice cookers
We pick bestselling rice cookers from UK retailers and cook up batches of white basmati and wholegrain rice to find out which produce the best rice.
We don't accept freebies so we pay for every rice cooker we test – you can have confidence in the independence of our reviews.
We regularly revisit the rice cookers on sale to see if there are any more popular models that need testing and when we find them we do.
Find out more about how Which? is not influenced by product manufacturers or retailers and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent.
Ease of use and cleaning
- We assess how simple each rice cooker is to set up for the first time, how helpful the instructions are for assembling it, and the advice it gives on capacities and water-to-rice ratios. Advice on cooking times is also a plus.
- Useful indicator lights for when the rice cooker is cooking or on the keep-warm setting are a plus, and the more straightforward it is to switch on, the better.
- We note how easy it is to clean the cooking pot and lid of each rice cooker, looking for any stuck-on bits that need some extra oomph with the sponge, or any nooks and crannies that are difficult to get into during cleaning.
Rice quality
- We cook supermarket own-brand white basmati rice and wholegrain rice in each rice cooker, always following the rice cooker's instructions on water-to-rice ratios (where given).
- Where rice-to-water ratios are absent in the instructions, we default to using a 1:1 ratio for basmati rice and 1:2 ratio for wholegrain rice, as these are the most widely accepted ratios for these rice types that we could find. All of the rice we cook is rinsed thoroughly before cooking.
- In our assessments, we look for rice that have flavour, a fluffy texture and that separates easily, and mark down rice that's dry, mushy, clumped, crunchy or starchy.
- Bacteria thrives in 40-60°C temperatures, so it's essential that rice cookers don't let rice drop below 60°C on the keep-warm setting. Fortunately, none of the rice cookers we've tested let their rice slip into the danger zone when we check their temperatures.
- We also check and taste the rice after it has been left for an hour on the keep-warm setting.
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How to use a rice cooker
If you're unsure about what to expect from using a rice cooker, we've listed some handy tips below that we discovered during our testing to help you cook your rice the way you like it:
- Read the instructions This is a step many will be tempted to skip, but it's very important as no two rice cookers are the same. The method you use with one may be very different in another. Always read the instructions first to check the method advised.
- Rice-to-water ratios vary As you'll find from reading the instructions, rice cookers have varying requirements for rice-to-water ratios. Several of the models we tested had different ratios for the same types of rice.
- The crispy layer at the bottom of the pan is common Rinsing your rice before cooking is a useful way for removing excess starch and reducing the chances of your rice sticking together or crisping up at the bottom, but in our tests every rice cooker had at least a thin layer of rice like this. You'll likely end up with some crunchy rice at the bottom of your rice cooker after you've used it.
- Portions and cups are not the same Rice cookers always measure rice in cups, as it's a more straightforward way to work out rice-to-water ratios (eg one cup of white rice usually needs one cup of water). But cups are often much bigger than portions – one cup is 150-180g of rice, and Bupa recommends that 75g of rice is one portion.
- 'Dishwasher-safe' is debatable As rice cookers are electrical appliances, none of them is entirely dishwasher-safe. Some of the cooking pots and lids are, but even then, on the ones we tested, it wasn't recommended that you clean them in the dishwasher as it will dull the non-stick material over time. Warm, soapy water and a sponge is the way to go.
- The keep-warm setting will impact the quality of your rice Although the drop in quality was slight with the best models we tested, we found that after being left for an hour on the keep-warm setting at least a slight drop in the quality of the rice was inevitable. The rice will likely be drier and need some fluffing before you serve it.
Other small kitchen appliances are equally versatile - don't miss our reviews of the best pressure cookers and best slow cookers
What can be cooked in a rice cooker?
That depends on which rice cooker you're using. All should at least be able to cook white, basmati and brown/wholegrain rice; however, some can also cook other types, such as risotto or sushi rice.
Make sure to check the instructions before attempting to cook more challenging types of rice in your rice cooker, as simpler models especially are unlikely to be able to cook every type without issue.
It's also possible to use stock instead of water and to add nuts, raisins or peas to add extra flavour – although adding these extras will mean that you'll need extra water for cooking. Unless instructions are provided on how much more water will be needed, some experimentation will be required.
Some rice cookers can also be used to steam meat and vegetables. Those that can will come with a steamer tray that sits above where your rice and water sits during cooking. Plenty of rice cookers come with recipes for steamed meals you can enjoy with your rice. Other rice cookers can double up as pans or sauté pans.
Your cooking options in a rice cooker can really be expanded if you're able to set it to cook for specific times, though. There are plenty of recipes online on how to cook rice pudding in a rice cooker, for example, but you'll need to be able to program it to cook for a set time. If you can't, your rice cooker won't be smart enough to know that there's milk, sugar and other extra ingredients in there, so it won't be likely to cook for the right amount of time.
Created the perfect pot of rice and not sure how to serve it? See BBC Good Food's rice recipes to discover something new.
Are rice cookers dangerous?
Lots of people search for answers to this question. However, all the rice cookers we tested seemed safe after we used each one four times and followed the instructions.
As with any kitchen appliance that deals with heat and steam, such as kettles, ovens and hobs, it is always possible to burn yourself if you're not careful.
When using a rice cooker, take care to avoid steam vents and avoid touching any part of the cooking pot that might be exposed.
Among some of the cheaper rice cookers we tested, we found that the lip of the cooking pot was often exposed during cooking, and because it makes direct contact with the heating element, it was prone to getting very hot when cooking.
Treat the cooking pot like a baking tray that you've put in your oven, and wear oven gloves before handling it.
Is a rice cooker worth it?
If you have the counter space – and rice is a staple that you struggle to get right on the hob – then absolutely. Rice cookers can be a very convenient and stress-free way to get rice the way you like it, time after time.
You do have to be patient with yours at first, though. Rice cookers are prescriptive appliances, so you'll have to experiment with your rice-to-water ratios before your rice turns out the way you like it.
For rice cookers that don't have timers, like the ones we tested, you'll also have to learn your rice cooker's cooking times through experimentation. Amounts of rice and water, and which rice cooker you have, all make a difference.
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